Five-year old Jack was in the kitchen as his mother made supper.

She asked him to go into the store-room (the place where much of the provisions were stored) and get her a can of tomato soup.

But li’l Jack didn’t want to go in alone there.

“It’s dark in there and I’m scared, Mamma”

She asked again, and he persisted in his refusal.

Finally she said, “Jack, look.. there is nothing to fear in going to that store-room. Jesus will be in there, with you…”

The constant request and this assurance made Jack to walk hesitantly to the door and slowly open it.

He peeked inside, saw it was dark, got all frightened and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you, please, hand me that can of tomato soup?!”

Well, this little anecdote highlights a common trend that is evident in many of our lives:
 Fear takes an upper hand in many of our activities and renders us fragile…
 Fear has a strong grip over our minds and hearts in many situations and makes us weak…

The Gospel of the Day is a clarion call by the Lord to ward off anxiety-causing fears and instead to be courageous in our life as a Christian.

Our Blessed Lord continues His instructions to His Apostles as they are being commissioned for the mission journey.

Today He touches upon one of the core emotions that can affect the Disciples in their mission endeavour: the emotion of Fear.

Jesus says, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt 10:30)

Jesus seeks to cast off fear from His followers by showing them the preciousness and value of their lives… and how much of importance they are to Him.

For this, he presents the example of a sparrow.

Though quite strange, Jesus probably had a very pertinent reason for this choice of the common sparrow.

During the time of Jesus (unlike in many of our modern developed cities), sparrows were so common that they were practically worthless.

Two sparrows were sold for a ‘cent’

The word “cent” is the Greek word ‘assarion’.
• An assarion was worth only 1/16 of a denarius.
One denarius was the day’s wage for a rural worker.

So, by simple math, a single sparrow was worth only 1/32 of a day’s wage of a rural worker.

Another aspect to be noted is…

• In Mt, Jesus says, ” Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?” (Mt 10: 29)
• In Lk, Jesus says, “Are not five sparrows sold for a two cents?” (Lk 12: 6)

If two sparrows could be purchased for a cent, then a person should get only four sparrows for two cents.
Then why the ‘fifth’ sparrow?

Probably the fifth sparrow must have been an incentive offered by merchants to get people to buy more sparrows.

The fifth sparrow was given, just merely to sweeten the deal!

Our Blessed Lord used this practice of buy-four-get-one-free sparrows to illustrate how much God values life.

He emphasizes that said that not even one sparrow is forgotten before God.
Even a nearly worthless free sparrow is not overlooked by God.

He takes immense interest even in an unappreciated bird!

Therefore, Jesus says, “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt 10:30)

 When we have a firm conviction of precious we are to the Lord – who is all-powerful and all-mighty – our every fear will be banished away!
 When we grow in our awareness that I am really very much worth to God – who is all-knowing and all-good – our every apprehension will be relaxed!

Fear is one of the core emotions that can affect our life as a Christian:
• Fear takes an upper hand in many of our activities and renders us fragile…
• Fear has a strong grip over our minds and hearts in many situations and makes us weak…

But the deeper we are convinced that I am precious and prized to the Lord, the lesser will be our fears!

“What need I fear, when thou art near, O King of night and day” is a refrain from a Christian hymn!

Yes…

 Fear can either prevent or propel
… Prevent from moving forward, being afraid of what will happen
… Propel to have a stronger determination and rouse the enthusiasm levels

 Fear can either be a barrier or a boost:
… Barrier that does not allow any initiative to be taken or any thought-process to progress
… Boost that accelerates the resolve and willpower and helps march towards the goal

Are we going to let “fear” to PREVENT and act as a BARRIER in our lives?
Or can we, convinced of the Lord’s mighty presence in our lives and our preciousness to Him, let “fear” to PROPEL AND BOOST our Christian Missionary lives….!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A sunny day…
As the sun was casting its bright rays on the earth, a loud voice thundered – with might and power:
“Who gives a man speech and makes another deaf and dumb?
Or who gives sight to one and makes another blind?
Is it not, I….?

Go, then….
It is I who will assist you in speaking and will teach you what you are to say…”

Another sunny day…
As the sun was shining bright, the same loud voice thundered – yet again, with might and power:
“Say not, “I am too young…
To whomever I send, you shall go…
Whatever I command, you shall speak!
Have no fear… because I am with you, to deliver you!”

These two dialogues record two instances of “Great Assurances” that were offered to two Great People – Moses and Jeremiah – as seen in Ex 4: 11-12 and Jer 1: 7-8 – by the Great Yahweh!

These two persons – Moses and Jeremiah – one, the law-giver and the other a prophet – had some similarities…
..They were entrusted with great tasks…
… They both expressed their inability in speech…
… They both were, however, given assurances of strength and courage!

A task that is entrusted by the Lord is always blessed by Him, with His assurance of courage and strength!
 The larger the responsibility… the greater would be the grace
 The tougher the task.. the bigger would be the blessing

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful expression of this same assurance that Jesus offered to His Apostles and to each one of us, who are called to be a Missionaries and Proclaimers of the Kingdom of God.

The Lord sends His Apostles on the mission journey and gives them various instructions in this participation of the Divine Activity.

Jesus was a very practical and realistic person.

When He sends the Apostles on the mission journey…
… He doesn’t promise a comfortable and cosy time
… He doesn’t make fanciful securities and spectacular guarantees.

Instead…
… He presents the ground reality and the actual facts of the task.

He says that, “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Mt 10:16)

This imagery of the “sheep and the wolves” that the Lord used for the Apostles would have probably filled them with panic and fright.

They were well aware what was the condition of the sheep, when they encountered the wolves…

The wolf – the predator is an expert in stealth and is rarely noticed by the sheep.
As the sheep graze, predator’s strategy is simple -it attacks the young or weak that are on the outer-edge of the flock.
This causes a sudden panic in the whole flock!

The sheep would cry… but their cry would hardly be heard!

Their voices after a loud shriek, would begin to choke!

The Apostles, who were well-familiar and had witnessed the sheep-grazing patterns in their land, were aware of this aspect, when the Lord said, “I send you as sheep among wolves…”

And perhaps, a jolt of fear would have run down their spine….

Just like Moses had felt a sense of difficulty in taking up the task that Yahweh had entrusted…
Just like Jeremiah had experienced a wave of fear when Yahweh appointed him as a prophet…
So the disciples could have also felt a sense of worry or even apprehension…

But just like Yahweh had assured them of His strength and grace, the Lord also assures His apostles in this state of fear: ” When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Mt 10: 19-20)

How often do we also find ourselves in situations of hardships and difficulties, in our task of being a True Christian…
• We feel fearful to open our mouths when we witness incidents of corruption..
• We fear to let ourselves be heard when values of Christ are compromised…
• We find ourselves shut to speak when we encounter acts of injustice…

But in all such situations, the Lord assures us that we need to bank on His strength and grace for courage!

What is needed from our part…
… is a total dependence and trust in His power
… is a communion with His Spirit and faith in His Father
… is a willingness to act according the Plans and Will of the Lord

The world today is growing to be menacingly fierce…
And as Christians, we are sometimes like “sheep among the wolves”

May we learn to be, with the grace of the Lord, “to be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves” (Mt 10:16)

May we grow in our understanding that a task that is entrusted by the Lord is always blessed by Him, with His assurance of courage and strength!
 The larger the responsibility… the greater would be the grace!
 The tougher the task.. the bigger would be the blessing!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070915.cfm

A story is told of a blind boy who was flying a kite.

He enjoyed this pastime along with others of his own age.

A passer-by, knowing him and wanting to mildly tease the blind-fellow, said:
‘Hey, boy! Do you know where is your kite?
You don’t know whether it is on the ground or up in the sky, do you?’

‘Oh yes,’ said the blind lad, ‘I do know! It is now quite a fair height up in the air.’

How do you know that?’ asked the passer-by, ‘you surely can’t see it.’

The boy replied, ‘I can’t see it, it is true, but I can feel the tug of the string!’

The ‘tug’ of the string help the boy to realise the presence of the kite and to sense its height in the air!

The awareness of the presence of the Divine power in our lives, is such…
One may not be able to always see the presence of the Divine, but the believer can surely experience its power and strength!

This experience of “the Divine tug of the string” keeps the life of the believer moving forward and helps to depend on the Divine Presence for strength in life.

The Gospel of the Day is an invitation by Jesus to grow deeper in this “awareness and dependence” on Jesus in our life as a missionary of the Kingdom of God.

After having summoned, authorized  and named His Twelve Apostles, Jesus sends them ahead of Him, to the places of mission.

The Gospel of the day begins with the phrase, “Preach, as you go…” ( Mt 10:7)

Some other translations would read as “As you go, make a proclamation…”

This is such wonderfully practical, and yet at the same time, a phrase that is often overlooked: “Preach, as you go….” / “As you go… make a proclamation”

Preaching or Proclamation in our times, is often picturised with a limited understanding…

Preaching or proclamation that takes place…
… only from the pulpit or during a service in Church
… only in the form of speaking and explaining the Word of God

But the words of the Lord are worth noting:
“Preach, as you go….” / “As you go… make a proclamation”

• Preach, as you go about doing your daily duties and activities
 As you go about your responsibilities and works, make a proclamation

• Preach as you go around meeting different people by sharing His love and joy to all
 As you go about engaging in numerous actions, make a proclamation by sharing His presence

The act of preaching and proclamation of the Kingdom of God is to be reflected in our every action and movement…
• Whatever we do, may it become an act of proclaiming God’s abundant blessings!
• Whatever work we take up, may it become a moment of preaching God’s amazing providence!

Such an act of Preaching and Proclamation makes it mandatory that one grows deeper in the “awareness and dependence” on Jesus in the life as a missionary of the Kingdom of God.

 The act of proclamation needs the “awareness” that I am continuing the Great Mission work that has Jesus as the “Initiator”, the “Sustainer” and the “Finale”!
 The act of preaching needs the “dependency” on the Lord to realise that the Lord alone can provide all the graces, strength and courage for the mission!

One needs to feel the “tug and the pull of the Divine Lord”…when one goes through
… hardships and difficulties in being a missionary of the Kingdom,  in hostile situations
… problems and challenges as we seek to live a true Christian life in the modern world
… meaninglessness or emptiness as we go through the ‘deserts’ and ‘darkness’ in life

Yes, it is an experience of “the Divine tug of the string” that keeps the life of the believer moving forward and to depend on the Divine Presence for strength in life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

It seems that in the Alpine mountains of Switzerland there is a particular spot on the top, where…

… one may throw an object in one direction, and it will roll on, by way of the River Danube to the Black Sea.

…  if thrown in another direction, the object  will travel down the River Rhine to the North Sea.

… if casted in another direction, it will go by way of the River Rhone into the Mediterranean Sea.

Although these three seas  – the Black Sea, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea –
…. are so far apart
…. and the three objects thrown from the same point have such widely separated destinations

…. the ultimate destiny of each object is determined, in the first instance, by the direction in which it is thrown!

How true is this of life too….

The choice of direction that we make in life, determines the destiny towards which we head into!

What is the choice of direction that we make in our spiritual life?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus summoning His Twelve Disciples, naming them and giving them authoritative power and sending on the mission.

This act of the Lord was the acceptance and confirmation of the choice that these disciples had made…
… a choice to follow the Lord closer
… a choice to dedicate their lives for the Kingdom

These disciples would have been following the Lord for a while now…
• They had seen the great works and deeds that He had been performing
• They had listened to His wonderful teachings and instructions
• They had witnessed His life of compassion and love

Now, the Lord chooses His special Twelve from among the many disciples who had followed Him.

This choosing was done with a triple action…

1. Summoning

The Twelve were “summoned”…
… To “summon” or to “call to oneself” was as an officer would issue an order, or a master his servant
It assumes that there is an acceptance by the subject of the Lordship of the one who summons!

Jesus was accepted by the Twelve as the Master and Lord of their lives!

 Do I feel that I have been “summoned” by the Lord as a Christian?
 … Do I, then, give total allegiance and adherence to Jesus as the only Lord and ultimate Master of my life?

2. Authorizing

The Twelve were “authorized”…

Jesus, “gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness”

As a government officer who delegates and empowers with power, so the disciples are empowered by the Lord in their mission work.

• They are to be the extension of the person of Jesus
• They are to be extension of the ministry and work of Jesus.

 Do I put into effect, the authority that has been granted to me, by virtue of my consecration as a Baptized person, and be an instrument of bringing the healing strengthening power of Jesus into the lives of the needy and suffering people?

 Do I seek to live a holier life in order to preserve the power and to be worthy of the authority that I have been vested with ?

3. Naming
Biblically, naming is an external sign of a person called to “adopt” a new way of life, and “choosing” to walk in a path of closer union with the Lord.

The naming of the Twelve was also such an exterior symbol… of the disciples being called to “adopt” the “Jesus Way of Life and “choosing” to walk in the Way of the Cross that Jesus is to tread.

 Do I realize that I too have been “named” by the Lord – as He says in Is 43:1, “I have called you by name, You are Mine!” – and am called to “adopt” the “Jesus Way of Life”?
 Am I ready to constantly “choose” to walk in the path of closer union with the Lord  – even if it is the hard and suffering path of the Way of the Cross?

The choice of direction that we make in life, determines the destiny towards which we head into!

The Lord is waiting for our choice in life for Him…

May we pick Him as the “choice of our life” so that in Him may be our life and destiny!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Avid book-readers will testify to the fact that when some books are read – especially interesting novels or epic stories or even some real-life or dramatic stories – there is a tendency to identify oneself with one of the characters in the book.

• Such character-identification can help one to examine one’s own personal life.
• Such character-identification can help one to chalk out strategies to live life better.

The Bible is a brilliant book which offers many characters to help us to examine and evaluate our own lives.

Today’s Gospel offers us various groups of people and characters with whom we might have some identification.

We shall analyze and reflect on our lives in the light of these various characters and groups of people….

1. The demon-possessed mute man

This person is a demoniac who was unable to speak

His condition has been miserable
… kept away from the society and his family
… unable to have a normal social or emotional or spiritual life

His own family would have missed him so much… so would his relatives and friends.

How often is my condition similar?
 Evil forces keep me away from having a healthy social, emotional or a spiritual life…
 Rejected, depressed in life and finding no meaning to live…

2. The people who brought this mute man to the Lord

We have no idea what was the intention of the people who brought the person to Jesus.

Maybe, they were people…
… who were genuinely concerned for the well-being of the person
… who were fed up and disturbed by his threatening presence

But in either case.., they bring the person to the Lord: either in faith or in desperation.

Problems beset many people…
• Sometimes we feel compassion for them
• Sometimes we feel sorry for them
• Sometimes they become a disturbance for us

In either case, can we become an instrument of bringing the people – sick, suffering and in distress – to the Lord’s healing presence?

3. The Pharisees

The healing action of Jesus becomes another occasion for them to criticize Jesus and to speak ill of Him.
They said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons” (Mt 9:34)

It was as if complain and criticism had almost been firmly casted into their character!

Am I also like these Pharisees…
 Unable to appreciate and encourage the good that is done to people?
 Constantly looking for faults and failures of people and harping on those negative to others?

4. The crowds
The crowds follow Jesus with a great desire and longing…

• Some to meet the Lord, to hear His teaching and experience His love
• Some to receive a cure and healing from the Lord
• Some just out of curiosity or because others are following Him

 What is my motive and intention in following the Lord?
 Is my Christian Life, just remaining part of the crowd, or do I also seek and make efforts to move closer to Him?

5. The Disciples
They stand witness to the misery of the people, on the one side, and the power of the Lord, on the other.

They are now entrusted with a task and duty to “ask the Master of the harvest to send out labourers for His harvest” and also to imitate the Good Shepherd in caring for the lost sheep.

 Do I hear the call of the Lord to be a labourer for the Kingdom of God and to imitate the Master Shepherd in bringing back lost sheep to His fold?
 Am I willing to take up the challenge that the Lord places before us to be a ‘consolation for the miserable’, ‘food for the hungry’, ‘joy to those in sadness’ and ‘hope for those sinful and lost’?

6. Jesus
Jesus is the Epitome of Compassion.

He goes about His mission and duty, by bringing healing to those in misery and displaying His treasury of compassion and love to the needy.

 Can I imitate our Blessed Lord in seeking to be sensitive to the needs of the people around me, and showing forth His compassion?
 Do I remain unafraid of “demoniac” and “mute” and “criticized” situations of life, trusting in the Great Power of the Lord and being unfazed by any sort of oppositions or hardships in being the messenger of His Kingdom?

May the reflection on the characters of the Gospel help us to evaluate our own lives and form ourselves to be more and more worthy of our life as a Christian!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A little boy once came to his mother, saying, `Mummy, I am as tall as Goliath! I am nine feet high!’

`Hoe  do you say that?’ asked his surprised mother.

‘Well, I made a little ruler of my own and measured myself with it and I am just nine feet tall.’

The little fellow considered himself to be huge and tall.. but by having a measuring scale that he himself had devised!

How often is our own styles of assessment and measure the same!
 We make “our own” yardsticks to measure others actions, and to find a way of criticising others!
 We make “own own” measuring tapes to determine the deeds of other people, and thus find ways to put down other people!

The Gospel of the day is an invitation to examine this our tendency of assessing others’ manners and conduct based on “standards and measurements” that are set by we ourselves.
• Do I evaluate the action of another person based on my own “prejudiced” mindset… or do I measure it with the yardstick that God uses?
• Do I critically analyse other people’s attitudes from my own “biased” perspective… or do I gauge it with the benchmark that God proposes?

In the Gospel, we see the disciples of John who come to Jesus with a critical query:
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (Mt 9:14)

It is interesting the reason that the disciples of John use here, in order to ask put forward their question…

It would be something like this…
“We, the disciples of John… we follow our Master in leading an ascetic and hard life.
We fast often times during the week… we live a hard life.

Look at the Pharisees too.. they fast twice a week, which is more than the stipulated requirement of the Law.

We engage ourselves in so much of fasting.
But look at your disciples…
They are only found to be enjoying life!

Who don’t they fast… like we do… ??”

 They had perhaps made “their own” yardsticks to measure the actions of the disciples and found a way of criticising them!
 They had perhaps made “their own” measuring tapes to determine the deeds of the disciples, and thus find ways to put them down!

But the Lord asks them to change this their “yardstick” and “measuring scale” of judging other people.

Jesus gives an example of the bridegroom and the context of a marriage.

.Marriage is the time of joy and celebration… not of mourning or being sad.
It is a time of feasting.. and not fasting!
 A time of feasting on God’s tremendous Providence and Grace!
 A time of feasting on the Love and Compassion shown by the Lord!

The Lord makes a challenge….
… consider and evaluate situations from the “eyes of God” – in the way that God sees.
… assess and measure people in the “manner of God” – with the approach that God takes.

It is said that when God measures a person, He puts the tape around the heart, and not the head!

May we also grow in our following of God… looking at people and situations in His style:
… a style that integrates compassion with sincerity
….  a style that incorporates love with genuineness

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Four boys were on an expedition – through the rivers and valleys and the mountain ranges.

At the end of the day, they camped – with supper by a campfire – in a lonely ravine.

However, at midnight a terrific thunderstorm encountered them.

The boys were forced to take refuge from the storm in the barn of a farmer.

They felt safe from the stormy rain and lay on the hay…
… when suddenly they heard loud noises…

This time not that of nature.. but of a human voice – loud and wild.
All through the night they heard that terrible shouting.

Somehow, in fear and trembling, they managed to through the night.

When dawn appeared, they come down from the barn, and realised the reason for the noise…
The farmer’s father was insane, a maniac…locked up in one of the rooms of the house!

The expedition of the boys ended up with a dual-storm-experience!
… the storm of nature’s fury – in the thunderstorm and heavy rainfall
… the storm of human anger – unleashed by that poor man who was insane

The Gospel of the Day along with yesterday’s Gospel passage, present two storms that are encountered by Jesus and His Disciples…
… the storm of nature’s fury – as They got caught in the heavy tempest while in the boat (Mt 8: 23-27)
… the storm of human anger – as They met the two demoniacs coming out of the tombs (Mt 8: 28-34)

In both the “stormy” and “turbulent” encounters, Jesus calms the “violence” and displays His supremacy as the Lord of all storms and turbulence.

The Gospel of the Day is the incident of the healing of the two demoniacs.

The word “demons” might immediately put off many a people…including perhaps some of us…

“Modern and learned” sceptics of the  Bible dismiss demon-possession as rubbish!
• Some might say that it was just a primitive manner that people had, to describe psychic or social disorders.
• Some might say that it was just a superstitious belief and practice.

But when we consider the Bible in its totality and especially the ministry of Jesus, it is very evidently seen that there is not much accommodation to superstitious beliefs or practices.

Any false or fanciful superstitious stuff was in fact, corrected or rectified!

The Church teaches that the Devil is real, and not just a mythical personification of evil.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Satan “acts in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and … his action causes grave injuries” (CCC #395).

Pope Francis, in his first homily quoted: ‘He who does not pray to the Lord, prays to the Devil.’

This then is an important aspect that we see in today’s Gospel… Jesus performing this miracle of exorcism, showing His supreme power and authority over the satanic forces.

What is my understanding of Satan and the evil forces?

I need to realise that this real force opposes anything that is spiritual and holy.
This also means that wherever there is a spiritual action taking place, there is an opposition by the Devil and his evil power.

• Do I arm myself with deeper faith, courage and conviction in God’s power?
• Do I equip myself with greater holiness and sanctity to withstand evil influences?

The “Our Father” is a powerful prayer which invokes the power of God against the evil: “… and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil”

Another important and interesting dimension that we see in today’s Gospel passage is the repulsion and disgust for Jesus…

This repulsion is displayed by two groups:
1. The two demoniacs
2. The people of the town

And this repulsion is characterised by a singular word – “begging”
 The demoniacs BEGGED Him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine” (Mt 8: 31)
 Thereupon the whole town came to meet Jesus, and when they say Him, they BEGGED Him to leave their district” (Mt 8: 34)

• The demoniacs couldn’t stand the Holiness and Power of the Lord and so they “begged” Him to cast them into the swine
• The people of the town – we are not very sure, what exactly were their reasons – too had a repulsion to the Lord and “begged” Him to leave their district.

In both the cases, one thing is clear:
Holiness was opposed and was found repulsive by evil forces!

 Where there is Holiness, evil cannot stand!
 Where there is Sanctity, satan finds it unbearable!

This then, makes it imperative on our parts, as Christians, to embrace ourselves closer into holiness and immerse ourselves deeper into the power of God!

Evil is a reality…
But the power of God, is a much stronger force!
Jesus says, “Fear not, I have conquered the world”

May we grow deeper in our relation with the Lord, and with Him, be strong and bold against the “storms” of the evil one!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

We live in a world of wonders…

For example…

Salt is a wonder.
• It is composed of two dangerous substances – Sodium which is explosive when exposed to moisture and Chlorine which is poisonous.
But salt is so very stable!

Alnico magnets are a wonder.
• It is composed of three nonmagnetic substances—aluminium, nickel and cobalt.
But it is the strongest magnet in the world!

Water is a wonder.
• Its chemical formula is H2O – Oxygen is flammable and hydrogen readily burns.
But unite them into water and we put out fires with it!

But above all these things of nature and the natural phenomena, we have the greatest wonder in the Lord and Creator of every “object and situation” of wonder – God!

 How often do we realise the wonder of His Being?
 How often do we be thankful for the wonders He does in our lives?

The Gospel of the Day is a reminder and an eye-opener for us to realise the “wonderful” Person that we have in the “boat” of our lives – Jesus – and to be grateful for Him for His “wondrous” presence!

We are with the familiar passage of the calming of the storms.

The Gospel of Matthew reports the fact that when Jesus and His disciples got into the boat, there was sudden violent “storm”…

The Greek word that is used for “storm” is “seismos”…
Seismos means a “shaking” or a “commotion” or a “tempest” or an “earthquake”

(It is from this word “seismos” that we get the word “seismic” which refers to earthquakes)

The disciples were right in the midst of something like a “sea-earthquake”
And it came on “suddenly”!

How often is our life too so similar…

We sail across calmly, enjoying the peace and serenity of life…
… when suddenly…… we are hit by a deadly storm…in the form of….
• a major crisis in the family or the community
• an unexpected sickness to us or to our loved one
• some unimaginable disaster arising in our work-place
• an inexpressible pain or an absolutely unforeseen problem

We find ourselves totally despairing in the thick of that “seismos”, that “storm”.
The waves hit the boat of our lives so badly and violently…
… that for a moment, our heart skips a beat and we think, “is it all going to be over?”
… that for a split-second, we let go of every hope and we feel, “is it really the end?”

But the Lord who was always with us, in our boat, relaxed and calm, “gets up, rebukes the winds and the sea, and there is great calm” (Mt 8: 26)

 It is as if the whole world is His classroom, and the Master Teacher gets up and demonstrates His power to His students!
 It is as if the waves and the winds are getting “too naughty” and Jesus, the Lord, gets up and “rebukes and chides” them!

And suddenly the disciples realised something spectacular…
All this while, in the midst of the storm, they were shocked and appalled at the “wonder” of the mighty wind and the raging tempest.

But now… right before them and with them… was a person who was the source, creator and the perfection of all wonders – “Jesus”!

• The “wonder” of the Lord’s presence far outmatched those of the deadly side of nature!
• The “wonder” of the Mighty Creator greatly surpassed that of the crisis they faced!

The Gospel says that the disciples were “‘amazed’ and said “What sort of a man is this, whom even the winds and the seas obey?” (Mt 8:27)

 How often do we realise the wonder of His Being?
 How often do we be thankful for the wonders He does in our lives?

Today we celebrate the Feast of the “First Martyrs of Rome”
They were the Christians martyred in the city of Rome during Nero’s persecution in 64.

Historian Tacitus records this gruesome incident in the following words:
“Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.
Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car.
Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed!”

These Martyrs could boldly give up their lives in faith and love, because they had mightily experienced the “wonder” of the Lord in their lives…
No storm could stall them!
No wind could blow them away!

May we also learn to experience deeper and mingle with the “wonder” of the Lord – especially in the Most Holy Eucharist, where He is truly and really present – so that we can sail through the storms of our life, in faith and hope!

God Bless! Live Jesus!